3 ways to practice during the off season

Hockey can be a year round sport for many people with the explosion of indoor rinks across both Canada and now most parts of the US. Playing year round was a dream for most in the past with only major metro areas equipped with indoor facilities. That being said you might not have the time or the inclination to go to the rink or you might live to far away from an indoor rink. You can still practice your game at home either in a room with tough walls… or outside.

Here are 3 great ways to practice during the off season:

Street Hockey

This is probably the most common outlet for those yearning for the winter time classic. Street hockey can be played at a local outdoor rink or just in a parking lot. All you need are a couple of goals if you have enough people to place a goalie or you can go with the bare bones approach and knock over a garbage can and make the target require a precise shot. Either way street hockey is blast and you can work on your tan. You do not need much in the way with special equipment but you can use a hockey puck with rollers or a street hockey stick that can handle the stress of blacktops.

Floor Hockey

When the weather is not conducive to outdoor play you can always get a few friends together for game of floor hockey. While this might not be the best practice in terms of improving your skills it can be a great workout if you play on your knees. This really tones the core for the regular season and you might see a few extra MPH on your shots come next year. Floor hockey can be pretty each to setup as it just requires a goal or something to aim at like an ottoman. Sorry mom. You do however need to play with an indoor hockey ball that won’t break everything and a floor or floor ball hockey stick.

Mini Nets

Smaller nets really help you hone your shot. Due to the size of the net you can use it virtually anywhere. Outside you can use your regular equipment or you can set it up in the house with soft balls or put some sort of protective cushioning on the wall behind the net. Anyway you go about it a hockey mini steel goal will provide great target practice and work great for both floor hockey and street hockey.

This off season while you are not playing golf or your other favorite summer sport you could be honing your craft with some awesome hockey fun.